[i'vehadenough]

Did anyone have their first case of BV with an IUD or still have an IUD??? That was when mine started. I had the IUD taken out about a year and a half ago and then went on the pill. My body does not mix well with hormones AT ALL!! I am pregnant now and pretty sure this will be our last child. I LOVED having IUD but I am scared it will make the BV worse. My hubby will do a Vasectomy, but that is just so permanent.

[i'vehadenough]

i posted some things in the birth control thread but never got anything back. i was just wondering as this is my first go around with birth control. i am wanting to stop taking it due to some side effects that i do not like. i.e. not a glimpse of a sex drive in monthes and sore tits. huge which is good but sore. so how do you stop? just finish your month and then quit easy as that? i'm on my period now so i only have a couple pills left. and i did not get a new perscription. so what do i do? hopefully in a few weeks i will be saying hello sex drive and my bv can really flare up again. i'm damned if i do damned if i dont. more sex more bv and and no sex no bv. either way i'm getting fucked, no pun intended

When I stopped I just stopped in the middle of the pack. I was having my period ALL OF THE time and was sick of it...But now I am pregnant

-Jessica

[kristen]

i posted some things in the birth control thread but never got anything back. i was just wondering as this is my first go around with birth control. i am wanting to stop taking it due to some side effects that i do not like. i.e. not a glimpse of a sex drive in monthes and sore tits. huge which is good but sore. so how do you stop? just finish your month and then quit easy as that? i'm on my period now so i only have a couple pills left. and i did not get a new perscription. so what do i do? hopefully in a few weeks i will be saying hello sex drive and my bv can really flare up again. i'm damned if i do damned if i dont. more sex more bv and and no sex no bv. either way i'm getting fucked, no pun intended

[lori]

Lori, do you know if anyone has tried the FemD as a vag suppository?

Yes. And DON'T DO IT.

I've got to run, but I'll post more info. later. (You can search this thread yourself for others' experiences.)

JUST DON'T DO IT!!!!

[sooo sad]

hi lori!

thanks so much for your words of encouragement...they really, really mean alot to me. and an update on me...well, since friday i've been taking the fem-d and i do feel alot better. the discharge is less and the uncomfortable feeling is gone, but i still need to get my flagyl and start that as soon as possible. but i can't get it until i get paid this friday. i will keep you updated on my condition.

thanks again lori...i LOVE you!!!! don't know what i would of done if i haven't found this website. i know i'm not out of the woods yet but i haven't felt this good in 10 months!!!

[damselindistress]

Thanks for sharing this konphusion26! I'm so excited about this, because I am hoping this means that these products will become cheaper and easier to find, eventually. Keep us updated on hos this works for you.
Congratulation, arj75. I'm soooo happy for you!

Lori, do you know if anyone has tried the FemD as a vag suppository?

[lori]

Just found a cheaper/comparable option to the fem-d. It doesnt come refrigerated but it says refrigerate after opening. I'm going to try it as it looks like the cost of the jarrow fem-d is going up at my usual supplier (went from 13 something to 17 something in 2 mos!).

Its called FemFlora and it looks like it has the same stuff in it as the fem-d only cheaper cost. Worth a try I think. I don't want to give up, but it didnt seem like the fem-d was doing anything for me; however, i'd rather keep trying to replenish than not have anything at all.

Thought i'd share that tidbit of info.

PS: Do yall ever wish there was a repair shop for defective or malfunctioning 'ginas!! Or wish you could just trade it in for a newer model LMAOOOO!!!!!! DAMMIT.

Thanks for sharing this konphusion26! I'm so excited about this, because I am hoping this means that these products will become cheaper and easier to find, eventually. Keep us updated on hos this works for you.

Good Morning you all! I just had my pap smear/std check and I'm free and clear of bv/yeast and any other infection. Even my doctor almost passed out from disbelief. lol I took flagyl orally 500 mg twice a day and the ultimate flora at night and fem D in morning. I expected the bv to return after my period, but it hasn't so far. I quit eating yogurt because well, I hate it, and I don't really like to drink milk either. I thought my multi vitamin had enough calcium for my body's needs considering they were for nursing mothers..but it was only like freaking 10% of daily intake needs. So, I have been taking for two months a generic brand of calcium 600 mgs, vitamin D, and magnesium, and regular multi-vitamin. Back on the water drinking kick. This is only one month I know, but a very happy month indeed.

Congratulation, arj75. I'm soooo happy for you!

[lori]

lori!

thanks soooo much for taking the time to reply...i really appreciate it and your response was sooo quick! AWESOME! i found a pharmacy that sold fem-d and i drove 45 min to get it!!! i pray it works....I also wanted to ask you a few more things....if you don't mind

1. while you were taking the fem-d and flagyl...was there still a discharge? if so, when did it clear up?
2. are you doing anything for maintenance? anything after sex? anything after period?
3. do you think it is a good idea to take fem-d for about a week before i do flagyl?
4. i know you stated that you've had bv for 7 yrs. how did you cope with this damn bv from hell? so did you try all these things that these other women mentioned...boric acid, tto, peroxide, etc..... how did you come across the combination of fem-d and flagyl?

sorry to ask so many questions but you seem like you care more than my doctor about my health. sometimes i feel like they just want to take your money and give you medication and not care about what you have to say. i'm sooo poor right now but i will give up money for food to buy the things i need to get rid of this horrible thing once and for all. i'm sooo happy for you that you've been bv free. hopefully i can be like you too!!

btw...i've been tested for trich 3 times...all negative!!

thanks sooo much....again,
sooo sad

You're welcome sooo sad. I'm happy I can help.

1. Whenever I took flagyl, the BV always cleared up in a few days - the smell and discharge went away. But it always came back. With Fem-d, it just never came back. That was in 2/2007, so it's been over a year.

2. Nothing in particular re: maintenance.

3. I don't think it's a bad idea to take Fem-d before you take flagyl. Just make sure to take it during, as well. (2/day as the fem-d insert suggests.)

4. How did I cope with my damn BV from hell? Not very well at all, to be honest. Here's an old post from this thread that describes some of the hell that I went through:

For 3 years, I went to 3 different gynos at least 12 times - telling them something ain't right down there, please help! I got tested for every STD known to mankind (negative), but no one ever treated me for BV. One day I walked into a Planned Parenthood out of desperation, and they took one look at me and told me "You've got a wicked case of BV!" They gave me metrogel, and I felt better for the first time in 3 FUCKING YEARS.

Planned Parenthood isn't all sunshine and kisses, though. It's a great organization, but they are underfunded and understaffed, and going there is depressing. And although the first doctor/RN I saw was really nice, the second RN was a fucking bitch from hell. I told her my infection is recurring and I was really worried. And she yelled at me and called me a hypochondriac! I went to my car and just cried and cried. Then a bunch of crazy high school kids with anti-abortion signs started banging on my car yelling, "Give your baby a chance!"

So I've definitely had my own moments of - WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!

And for the question - how I came across the flagyl + fem-d combo? Well, I didn't come up with it. But based on my research, it's the only solution that makes sense. Fem-d is the only product I've found so far that is targeted for the problem, and also the most legit and safe to use. And it worked for me.

It's not the first probiotic product I've tried, though. I bought something called Gy-natren from Whole Foods, and it was horrible. In fact, the primary reason I posted in this thread in the first place is to warn people away from it.

Here's another old post I wrote, re: gy-natren:

I hate [Gy-natren], it was terrible. For me, it was my moment of "Bad Product Pussy Explosion."

...

I don't know what this stuff did inside of me, but it looked like the capsules didn't dissolve properly, and neither did what was inside. And this stuff would not come out - I guess because it was sticky? - and just floated inside me for *weeks*. It was irritating, and I felt cervix pain, not like when I have BV, but still discomfort - when wads of starchy clumps are in your vagina, you're going to feel it! I tried douching, and even got my period, and it still wouldn't come out!

So I went to my gyno and she did vaginal irrigation - which is a form of douching, except she had to spray a *lot* of solution, and get all up in there and clean me out with swabs. Talk about mortifying. She told me there was a lot of weird stuff in there, and she said I was lucky I didn't experience any tears or injuries. (And I only used 6 of the 14 pills!) She also said it looked like the stuff irritated my cervix and made it swell a bit - I went back 2 weeks later (needed my annual pap anyway), and she said everything looked better, everything looked clean, and no more of that swelling. Whew!

After googling Gy-natren, I found at least one other woman who said the stuff made her cervix swell, so it's not just me. As far as what caused the swelling - the capsules are made of chickpea and garbonzo bean powders. So it's edible, and probably not toxic. But again, if you have foreign bodies in your vagina that just won't come out, that will irritate you.

Anyway, the product was in fact cited for FDA violations - they need to get more safety approvals to sell stuff that you stick in your vagina, and all they got was the approval for the oral supplements. They also mis-labeled their product. This is very sketchy. Based on that alone, I would recommend staying away from this crap.

Anyway, I've been saying for a year in this thread that probiotics is the answer, and I'm glad that people are finally listening.

Best of luck to you, sooo sad. "Our bodies, our hells" indeed. But don't worry, you'll be okay.

[mfc10]

Just found a cheaper/comparable option to the fem-d. It doesnt come refrigerated but it says refrigerate after opening. I'm going to try it as it looks like the cost of the jarrow fem-d is going up at my usual supplier (went from 13 something to 17 something in 2 mos!).

Its called FemFlora and it looks like it has the same stuff in it as the fem-d only cheaper cost. Worth a try I think. I don't want to give up, but it didnt seem like the fem-d was doing anything for me; however, i'd rather keep trying to replenish than not have anything at all.

Thought i'd share that tidbit of info.

Thanks--it sure looks like the exact same strains, and Urex Biotech & Hansen were the companies Gregor (the patent holder of those strains) worked for/with.

Just wish the product was shipped cold!
Maggie

[konphusion26]

Just found a cheaper/comparable option to the fem-d. It doesnt come refrigerated but it says refrigerate after opening. I'm going to try it as it looks like the cost of the jarrow fem-d is going up at my usual supplier (went from 13 something to 17 something in 2 mos!).

Its called FemFlora and it looks like it has the same stuff in it as the fem-d only cheaper cost. Worth a try I think. I don't want to give up, but it didnt seem like the fem-d was doing anything for me; however, i'd rather keep trying to replenish than not have anything at all.

Thought i'd share that tidbit of info.

PS: Do yall ever wish there was a repair shop for defective or malfunctioning 'ginas!! Or wish you could just trade it in for a newer model LMAOOOO!!!!!! DAMMIT.

[kristen]

so i have been taking the fem d, the fem d and got warm... anyway i haven't really seen any difference i will need to ge another bottle before i can make a good decision. for sure nothing is worse. there is no smell at all but that damn discharge. that is the part all along i have not been able to get rid of the smell i seem to be able to get rid of pretty easy now. it really only flares up bad after having alot of sex and that pretty much never happens mostly because my boyfriend is an idiot and i dont want to have sex with him. that is another story thought. back to the discharge, i was at this other website and it said something about birth control pills causing a discharge, in fact here is a quote "does anyone know what to do to reduce the discharge that comes with birth control pills?" i haven't ever really read anything about discharge and birth control does this hold any weight, and has any one else had this problem, if it is true maybe that is what my discharge is because it doesn't really seem bv ish i dont think. oh yea and i have no sex drive i mean none and nothing will get me in the mood and my tits are sore all the time. i know this is the birth control pills what do ya'll think. so i need a stronger one or one with less hormones i don't know much about it.

[arj75]

Good Morning you all! I just had my pap smear/std check and I'm free and clear of bv/yeast and any other infection. Even my doctor almost passed out from disbelief. lol I took flagyl orally 500 mg twice a day and the ultimate flora at night and fem D in morning. I expected the bv to return after my period, but it hasn't so far. I quit eating yogurt because well, I hate it, and I don't really like to drink milk either. I thought my multi vitamin had enough calcium for my body's needs considering they were for nursing mothers..but it was only like freaking 10% of daily intake needs. So, I have been taking for two months a generic brand of calcium 600 mgs, vitamin D, and magnesium, and regular multi-vitamin. Back on the water drinking kick. This is only one month I know, but a very happy month indeed.

[sooo sad]

lori!

thanks soooo much for taking the time to reply...i really appreciate it and your response was sooo quick! AWESOME! i found a pharmacy that sold fem-d and i drove 45 min to get it!!! i pray it works....I also wanted to ask you a few more things....if you don't mind

1. while you were taking the fem-d and flagyl...was there still a discharge? if so, when did it clear up?
2. are you doing anything for maintenance? anything after sex? anything after period?
3. do you think it is a good idea to take fem-d for about a week before i do flagyl?
4. i know you stated that you've had bv for 7 yrs. how did you cope with this damn bv from hell? so did you try all these things that these other women mentioned...boric acid, tto, peroxide, etc..... how did you come across the combination of fem-d and flagyl?

sorry to ask so many questions but you seem like you care more than my doctor about my health. sometimes i feel like they just want to take your money and give you medication and not care about what you have to say. i'm sooo poor right now but i will give up money for food to buy the things i need to get rid of this horrible thing once and for all. i'm sooo happy for you that you've been bv free. hopefully i can be like you too!!

btw...i've been tested for trich 3 times...all negative!!

thanks sooo much....again,
sooo sad

[lori]

hi lori!!

i'm new to "bust lounge" so i hope i'm doing this right.

you have very good advice and you're very knowledgeable with bv. i've been suffering from bv since june 2007. i'm trying to not cry and type this at the same time but this is a very emotional subject for me. i'm a single mom with 2 kids and i'm not getting any childsupport from my ex. and to add on top of all this crap...damn bv. i've been tested for all std's .....twice to be on the safe side...negative on everything except bv. i was treated with vaginal creams and short courses of flagyl with no relief. then with flagyl 3 times a day for 10 days...they did a test when i was finished with the medication and the bv was gone but there was always a discharge there. the dr told me that i have to recheck in a month...and when i did...that crap was back again. right now i'm trying the boric acid thing. i came across this wonderful website and i saw your blog. i was wondering have you ever heard of candaclear by pharmax? it's lactobacillus suppositories that are "suppose" to put good bacterial back in the vagina. i'm suppose to do that after the boric acid. i'm going to buy femdophillus. hopefully i can find it at a herb or whole food store so i don't have to order it. i live near atlanta. i'm also wanting to know your input...should i just not do the boric acid thing? since i read your blog it made me think twice. flagyl does work...it's putting the good bacteria back and making it stay so challenging. i read that you've suffered for 7 years...are you still bv free now? hopefully!!

if you can please respond...i would love to hear from you.

sooo sad

Hi, sooo sad. Welcome to the group. Yes, you did it right!

It's really up to you re: the boric acid. But I can tell you that based on ladies' experience in this group, it's definitely not a cure. At best, it just controls the symptoms. In my unprofessional, un-medical opinion, boric acid and tea tree oil (TTO) may kill off the smell, but:
- doesn't do anything to help you permanently put the good bacteria back into your vagina
- may even kill off the good bacteria you're trying to replenish
So for that reason, *I* wouldn't use it. And for that reason, I think it's a bad idea to keep using it regularly on a long-term basis. Why waste time with something that we know is not a cure?

It's up to you to decide if my reasoning makes sense, or not. Everyone should make a choice about their own bodies, and I have been very careful to never say people need to do anything just because I say it.

Having said that, I think Fem-dophilus is the safest (when taken orally) and the most legit product. My suggested course of action is:

- get a thorough STD checkup (you've already done this, yey!)
- ask for a Trichomoniasis test - I think it's important to make sure you don't have this (wet mounts and pap smears are only 60% effective, and I think Trichomoniasis tests are not standard, like for chlamydia and gonorreah)
- use the prescription (which will clear up the BV)
- use Fem-dophilus (which will replenish the good bacteria)

This worked for me. Yes, I've been bv-free for about a year now.

Here's the info. in my blog re: canda clear - not a lot of info, but there you go:

CandaClear (Pharmax)

• Description: Vaginal suppositories
• Where to Buy / Cost: Rockwell Nutrition
• Pros: designed specifically for healthy vaginal flora
• Cons:
• Conclusion: One member tried this product upon the recommendation of a natropathic consultant. She said it didn't work for her.

[sooo sad]

I would like to thank everybody for their input, advice, experiences, etc. You have all bee soooooooooooooo helpful and I'm so happy I found this forum. I will keep you apprise of my situation. I feel with Fem D in my system now for one week I will start the Clindesse on Monday, refrain from sex for two weeks ,and continue the Fem D. Hopefully when all is under control I will take the TTO the day after sex. My poor boyfriend!!!! He will just have to take it or leave it!! I can't wait to feel normal down there again. You all have been GREAT! Thanks a million!!! Anyone from NY?

soo...how has everything turned out? so far so good?

[sooo sad]

hi lori!!

i'm new to "bust lounge" so i hope i'm doing this right.

you have very good advice and you're very knowledgeable with bv. i've been suffering from bv since june 2007. i'm trying to not cry and type this at the same time but this is a very emotional subject for me. i'm a single mom with 2 kids and i'm not getting any childsupport from my ex. and to add on top of all this crap...damn bv. i've been tested for all std's .....twice to be on the safe side...negative on everything except bv. i was treated with vaginal creams and short courses of flagyl with no relief. then with flagyl 3 times a day for 10 days...they did a test when i was finished with the medication and the bv was gone but there was always a discharge there. the dr told me that i have to recheck in a month...and when i did...that crap was back again. right now i'm trying the boric acid thing. i came across this wonderful website and i saw your blog. i was wondering have you ever heard of candaclear by pharmax? it's lactobacillus suppositories that are "suppose" to put good bacterial back in the vagina. i'm suppose to do that after the boric acid. i'm going to buy femdophillus. hopefully i can find it at a herb or whole food store so i don't have to order it. i live near atlanta. i'm also wanting to know your input...should i just not do the boric acid thing? since i read your blog it made me think twice. flagyl does work...it's putting the good bacteria back and making it stay so challenging. i read that you've suffered for 7 years...are you still bv free now? hopefully!!

if you can please respond...i would love to hear from you.

sooo sad

[CanCan]

O.k. I found the info on vitamin d that I wrote down from that book: The hormone form of Vitamin D is calcitriol.

[ 'Calcitriol stimulates the production of macrophages, immune cells that gobble up bacteria.'

(pg. 133)
Vitamins and Minerals
by Ellen Mayer ]

I don't know if (or how) the macrophages directly affect BV. Because I don't know if there are any in the vagina. I know that we have them in our uterus, I am guessing to help stop infections from getting high up in our reproductive organs, or even the fetus. So perhaps vitamin d controls infection in a general way in your body. And I think the macrophages are a factor with different types of STDs. But after reading about the vitamin, what seems more important is that it helps regulate our hormones. There is so much information about this on the internet, it is making me exhausted just trying to understand it. Here is a quote from Wikipedia, sorry all this info is so long!

[ Once vitamin D is produced in the skin or consumed in food, it is converted in the liver and kidney to form 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D, (1,25(OH)2D) the physiologically active form of vitamin D (when "D" is used without a subscript it refers to either D2 or D3). Following this conversion, the hormonally active form of vitamin D is released into the circulation, and by binding to a carrier protein in the plasma, vitamin D binding protein (VDBP), it is transported to various target organs.[3]

The hormonally active form of vitamin D mediates its biological effects by binding to the vitamin D receptor (VDR), which is principally located in the nuclei of target cells.[3] The binding of calcitriol to the VDR allows the VDR to act as a transcription factor that modulates the gene expression of transport proteins (such as TRPV6 and calbindin), which are involved in calcium absorption in the intestine.

The Vitamin D receptor belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily of steroid/thyroid hormone receptors, and VDR are expressed by cells in most organs, including the brain, heart, skin, gonads, prostate, and breast. VDR activation in the intestine, bone, kidney, and parathyroid gland cells leads to the maintenance of calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood (with the assistance of parathyroid hormone and calcitonin) and to the maintenance of bone content.[12]

The VDR is known to be involved in cell proliferation, differentiation. Vitamin D also affects the immune system, and VDR are expressed in several white blood cells including monocytes and activated T and B cells.[9]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_D ]

[i'vehadenough]

Great that you aren't using it anymore, because both Flagyl and Metrogel are metronidazole. Just different trademarks for the same chemical. It's probably fine that you used it one time, but wait to see what your doctor says, I'm sure he will say to stop using it.
[ Flag·yl (flgl)
A trademark for the drug metronidazole.

C6 H9 N3 O3
2-(2-methyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethanol

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Flagyl

Brand names: Flagyl®, MetroCream®, MetroGel®, Metrolotion®, Metronâ„¢, Noritateâ„¢, Nydamax®, Rozex®, Vandazoleâ„¢ ]

My Dr called me this afternoon and did say to stop using the metrogel. He still wants me to come in on the 22nd. I am going to keep taking the B6 and FD. Hopefully that will be enough to keep me BV free

[ladylyn]

[size="2"] Hi ladies I was diagnosed with bv and I had to take metronidozole (misspelled-maybe) for 10 days, 3x a day. I had the feeling like my uterus or ovaries or something was moving. I am now off the meds but still feel sick to the stomach, loss of appetite. Could it not be gone. I could go back to the doctor but my bill is high enough with no insurance. I have read about the boric acid and acidophilus. That boric acid sounds scary but if it help hey. If somebody anybody hear my cry help me

[CanCan]

Hey guys!!! It has been SOOOOOO long since I've been here so I apologize if this has already been mentioned.
I was wondering if vitamin D plays a role in vaginal infections??? I've been taming my bv ( keeping it controlled, still always there though) by using one TTO a week as well as one gram of premarin cream a week. Well, just recently I was found to be extremely vitamin D deficient and have been put on prescription strength supplements. I'm hoping that this will be the cure for my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as well as THE BV. Although I'm not keeping my hopes up too much.

Anyone here heard of a link between bv and vitamin D?

If not, getting checked for a deficiency might not be a bad idea.

Oh that is so weird, I have been reading about Vitamin D deficiency for the past month!! I am SO sure it is a factor - that I went away on a trip a couple weeks ago to Mexico to get sunshine.

Vitamin D deficiency is a factor for me, if you don't have enough of it, you can't absorb calcium properly. My nails have been breaking to a ridiculous degree over the past few months, I mean really breaking, like falling right off my skin. And a friend of mine told me that I'm probably not getting enough minerals. Ya right. I am taking my calcium supplements. So I thought there must be another factor. Reading about calcium scientists and doctors say that you need vitamin D to absorb it. And reading about vitamin D you realize that a lot of people are deficient during the winter months when there isn't much sunshine out, and anyone like me that spends a lot of time indoors wouldn't be getting much anyway. Even during the summertime, I don't get that much because I never tan. And I use sunblock religiously.

Your body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunshine (without sunblock on), by eating vitamin d rich foods, or by taking a vitamin d supplement. I started taking Vitamin D3 pills couple weeks ago. And I am also taking Cod Liver Oil capsules every day, now that I read that it is rich in both vitamins D and A. (You can also get vitamin d by using a vitamin D therapy lamp for 5 minutes everyday. But I am not about to run out and buy one, because summer is around the corner.) The problem with taking vitamin d as a vitamin suppliment is that some people with digestive issues may not digest it and absorb it anyway. Which may be my issue, we will see if my nails improve or not. For people that can't digest it, sunshine is the best way to get it.

So my nails were the first indicator that I was V-D deficient, I happened to pick up a book at my friend's place, and vitamin book, and flip it to the page that said vit-d, and it said right there in black and white that vitamin d helps fight infections! I had no idea. I have something written down about this, I will look for it now, and then post.